LTD 400 vs Nashville 400

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 29 Jul 2018 8:44 am

Can someone explain the differences between the LTD 400 and the Nashville 400?

Advantages and/or disadvantages of each?

Personal preference?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 29 Jul 2018 9:26 am

There's no such thing as a LTD 400.
That term can either mean the LTD (which says "Series 400 on the back) or the Session 400 Limited.
The LTD is a Session 400 circuit in a smaller cab.
This was the last Peavey with discrete transistors in the preamp, and most of the steel world (except Richard Sinkler) regards it as one of the best two steel amps Peavey made (the other being the Session 500). The LTD just sounds a little less beefy in the bottom end because of the smaller cab. I'd own one in a heartbeat.
The Session 400 Limited was an attempt to recreate the Session 400 while still using the integrated circuit chips. It has the same large cabinet as the Nashville 1000 (a Twin amp cover fits it), and to my opinion is the best sounding amp since the 500.

To my ears, both of them are superior to the Nashville 400. To my ears everything with Nashville in the name is a fine steel amp, but is inferior (and less satisfying to play through) anything with Session in the name. The Nashville amps have a 'sterile' sound and feel to them, and the Sessions more warm and rewarding to play.

Are you SURE you're glad I'm back?

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 29 Jul 2018 10:36 am

Lane Gray wrote:There's no such thing as a LTD 400. Are you SURE you're glad I'm back?

Well, perhaps I have a rare one, then:

On closer examination, to be perfectly accurate, I guess it's a LTD. 400. I'm aware that it's the same circuit as a Session in a smaller cabinet. At least that's what Clem Schmitz told me when I purchased it new back in '77. And I believe the cabinet is the same size as the Nashville 400. Since I replaced the blown JBL with a BW 1501-4 (pulled from a Nashville 400), I love the sound of it with my old Emmonses. It's fairly minty because the JBL blew out fairly quickly, and its main function was as a doorstop for over 30 years. Thanks for the explanation.

And yes, I'm glad you're back.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 29 Jul 2018 11:50 am

Hmmm. The three I've owned didn't have the 400 on them. At least I thought they didn't.
It's still a great amp. Which is why I have had three

Dan Beller-McKenna · Post by **Dan Beller-McKenna** » 29 Jul 2018 12:10 pm

My LTD has the 400 on the front plate. I had this and my Nashville 400 for a while and decided to keep this one and sell the NV. I found the LTD to be warmer and closer to the sound and feel of a tube amp than the NV 400. I put a Weber California in mine and it is my go-to steel amp.

I did recently pick up a Nashville 400 just to see whether my impressions have changed now that I've been using the LTD for several years. We'll see.

Steven Paris · Post by **Steven Paris** » 29 Jul 2018 9:04 pm

How about an LTD 400 vs. a modded NV400 (w/ the OPA2134 ICs)??
And yes, I am glad you're back!!

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 30 Jul 2018 4:58 am

I've NEVER heard a Nashville anything that's the equal of a Session anything.
That's not saying that the Nashville is inadequate; just that the Session is superior.
I've said before that the Session 400/LTD is 95 percent as good as my Milkman; a Nashville is about 92 percent as good as the Milkman.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 30 Jul 2018 5:05 am

I had a Session 400 LTD (bought about it about 91 at the old Quigley's Music on south Troost in KCMO). It was a reissued model and had Op-Amps on the preamp board instead of discrete components (transistors) like the original Session 400.

The big difference is the EQ system. The Nashville 400 has the Peavey "Paramid" mid EQ where the Session 400 LTD has
the more conventional EQ system.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 30 Jul 2018 8:00 am

Lane Gray wrote:There's no such thing as a LTD 400.
That term can either mean the LTD (which says "Series 400 on the back) or the Session 400 Limited.
The LTD is a Session 400 circuit in a smaller cab.
This was the last Peavey with discrete transistors in the preamp, and most of the steel world (except Richard Sinkler) regards it as one of the best two steel amps Peavey made (the other being the Session 500). The LTD just sounds a little less beefy in the bottom end because of the smaller cab. I'd own one in a heartbeat.
The Session 400 Limited was an attempt to recreate the Session 400 while still using the integrated circuit chips. It has the same large cabinet as the Nashville 1000 (a Twin amp cover fits it), and to my opinion is the best sounding amp since the 500.

To my ears, both of them are superior to the Nashville 400. To my ears everything with Nashville in the name is a fine steel amp, but is inferior (and less satisfying to play through) anything with Session in the name. The Nashville amps have a 'sterile' sound and feel to them, and the Sessions more warm and rewarding to play.

Are you SURE you're glad I'm back?

To me it's the opposite. I used a silver knob Session 400 for years , and could never get a warm tone out of it (compared to the Twin w/JBLs I had been using). Sounded really thin and sterile. After the 3rd or 4th time the power transistors failed, I got a Session 500. That, I agree, was Peavey's best amp. Then in 1984, I got a new NV400 with a 1502 speaker in it. Much warmer than the Session 400. At it got even warmer with a Fox mod. Still use that NV400 to this day.

Fred Justice · Post by **Fred Justice** » 30 Jul 2018 8:36 am

"There's no such thing as a LTD 400."
Lane, I guess we all have the right to be wrong once in a while

just ribben ya boy,

In all seriousness, any and all LTD's I have ever seen have said 400 on them.

John Goux · Post by **John Goux** » 31 Jul 2018 11:17 am

Welcome back Lane, see what youâ€™ve been missing!

I am alway glad to see your posts, btw.

Question.
If the discreet circuit in these amps is the key to their superior and warmer sound, then why donâ€™t some of the boutique amp builders just knock this preamp off?
Or is that what a Stereo Steel is?

Lane, is your favorite amp the 50/50 with tube pre and SS power amp?

John

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 31 Jul 2018 11:25 am

The Stereo Steel is, in fact, two Session 400s in one head.
You have described my Milkman Half and Half, which is my favorite amp (but I'll never sell my Session 400).
I'm under the impression that the Quilters and Telonics (the other boutique solid state boutique offerings of which I'm aware) use op amps.
Only they know why they chose not to use discrete components.

Jerry Korkki · Post by **Jerry Korkki** » 3 Aug 2018 10:45 am

I had a 1st year Session 400( bought in '74/'75?) and I agree it was a great sounding amp. A couple years ago I picked up a clean Session 400 Limited on the cheap and using the parts list from the Peavey upgrade kit, I bought higher quality parts including BB OPA2134 op amps (can't remember what Peavey called for) and it sounds great. It would be nice to compare it to a fresh Session 400 to hear the difference between discrete trans. and IC. The type and quality of the op amps probably makes a big difference. I am still kicking myself for selling that Session 400 though. Bang for the buck ya just can't beat these Peaveys!

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 3 Aug 2018 11:18 am

Got two and LOVE em!

Ken Fox · Post by **Ken Fox** » 3 Aug 2018 11:54 am

The Stereo Steel may sound similar to a Session 400 but is not all the same amp or electronics

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 6 Aug 2018 2:04 pm

Lane, good to hear from you. I bought my LTD 400 new many years ago. Later on got the bug for newer/moderner and got the Nashville 400. Glad I kept the LTD which I still have today, and traded the NV 400 for a NV 112. The NV 400 was an OK amp in MHO, but never had anything outstanding for me. ...